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Triple-A baseball: New Orleans knocks off El Paso 5-3 in opener of four-game series

By Felix Chavez / El Paso Times

Posted:
06/10/2014 01:05:22 AM MDT

El Paso Chihuahuas second baseman Tyler Greene makes the play at second base against New Orleans Zephyrs outfielder Jake Marisnick during actionin the Chihuahuas current eight home game stand. (Ruben R. Ramirez / El Paso Times)

Monday night's Pacific Coast League series opener between New Orleans and El Paso had a little bit of everything, ranging from excellent pitching to timely hitting and strong defense.

But it was the Zephyrs who got the big hits late in the game and rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win 5-3 in in 11 innings front of 6,075 fans at Southwest University Park in a game that last four hours and six minutes.

New Orleans, which is now 34-30 on the season, scored two runs in the 11th on three hits and a walk off El Paso reliever Tim Sexton, who suffered the loss and fell to 0-3 on the season.

Monday's game was the first meeting between the two teams.

REPORTER

Felix Chavez

Mark Canha brought in the first run on a sacrifice fly that scored pitcher Sam Dyson, who just beat the throw from left fielder Travis Buck. Buck's throw appeared to beat Dyson but the ball was dropped by catcher Rocky Gale, who tried to tag out Dyson. Kyle Jensen then delivered an RBI double to finish off the scoring.

Dyson then ended any chance of a Chihuahuas comeback in the bottom of the 11th by mowing them down in order.

New Orleans has now won 14 of its last 18 games.

The Chihuahuas, who are now 31-34 on the year, scored two in the fourth on a pair of walks and two singles to go up 2-0. The big single came from Gale who drove in a pair with his base hit. Gale finished the night 2-for-5.

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Then in the sixth, first baseman Jake Goebbert slammed a solo homer to right center to give El Paso a 3-0 lead. It was Goebbert's ninth home run of the season.

New Orleans cut into the Chihuahuas lead in the seventh putting together a walk and two singles, the final one coming from Cahna, which scored a run.

The Zephyrs tied it at 3 in the eighth with two outs on a single from Juan Diaz and a mammoth two-run home from Jake Marisnick off reliever Hector Ambriz, who entered the game with a 2.27 earned run average.

The first-ever Triple-A appearance for El Paso right-handed pitcher Donn Roach turned out to be a successful one.

Roach started and pitched 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball, scattered five hits and struckout five. The Chihuahuas defense was also solid on the night with three double plays, while Gale threw out a pair of runners.

But the Chihuahuas were just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and couldn't take advantage of nine hits and five walks by New Orleans pitchers.

Both teams had chances to take the lead in the ninth but both teams left two runners on base to force extra innings.

El Paso had won 7 of their last 10 games entering Monday's contest and lost just their second game of the season when leading after seven innings.

The Chihuahuas also fell to 15-14 on the season at home.

The two teams will play the second game of the four-game set at 6:35 p.m. tonight.